Abstract:

The quality of educational services in higher education institutions is strongly shaped by the leadership paradigms guiding academic management, particularly in contexts marked by globalization, digital transformation, and intensified institutional competition. This study examines the relationship between transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles and perceived educational service quality among academic staff and students in Romanian higher education, with specific attention to managerial practices and institutional climate as interrelated determinants of performance and sustainability.

A mixed-method research design was employed between January and July 2025, involving 214 faculty members and 386 students from three public universities representing economic, technical, and social science profiles. Quantitative data were collected using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) and the Higher Education Service Quality Inventory (HESQI), both subjected to a process of cultural adaptation, linguistic calibration, and pilot testing to ensure conceptual equivalence and internal consistency within the Romanian academic context. Reliability and construct validity were confirmed prior to full-scale administration. Qualitative data were generated through focus groups and semi-structured interviews exploring leadership behaviours, communication practices, trust in management, and perceived alignment between institutional mission and educational delivery.

Quantitative analyses based on multivariate regression and structural equation modelling indicated that transformational leadership exerted a strong positive influence on perceived service quality (β = 0.61, p < 0.001), particularly in areas related to student-centredness, instructional innovation, and responsiveness. Transactional leadership displayed moderate effects (β = 0.34, p < 0.01), primarily associated with procedural clarity and administrative accountability, while laissez-faire leadership showed a significant negative association with quality perceptions and team cohesion (β = –0.28, p < 0.01). Mediation analyses demonstrated that organizational climate and psychological safety partially explained the relationship between leadership style and service quality outcomes.

Integration of quantitative and qualitative strands occurred at the interpretation level, where qualitative insights were used to contextualize statistical patterns and to refine the explanatory pathways identified in the models. These findings informed the development of a multidimensional model of educational service quality that positions leadership practices as a central mechanism linking managerial competence, institutional climate, academic innovation, and relational trust. The proposed model is conceptually aligned with established leadership and quality assurance frameworks while extending them through a contextualized, relational perspective specific to higher education systems in transition.

The results highlight the strategic importance of transformational leadership in fostering participatory governance, motivation, and continuous improvement, offering evidence-based implications for leadership development, institutional policy design, and quality assurance processes aimed at sustainable excellence in higher education.

Keywords:

Leadership Styles, Educational Management, Higher Education Quality, Transformational Leadership, Institutional Climate, Service Excellence, Managerial Effectiveness.